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    Dinosaur Ridge

    4.2 (189 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Austin B.

    Naturally exceptional little place to park and go for a walk. They also have an option a little down the road for a driving guided tour but it is very simple to just park and walk if you have the stamina. The area is absolutely beautiful and there are so many signs showing exactly what you were looking at while you're walking the mountain side! I loved being able to see dinosaur tracks and where Colorado actually used to be underwater millions of years ago! My favorite thing was being able to go on a couple little side trails and getting higher than typical if you're walking on the road. Being able to see a few different animals in nature was gorgeous as well and they were very relaxed even coming very close to me on my walk! I love that they also had seating every so often so I could sit down and just relax and admire my view of the area! I hope to one day be back so I can see the Velociraptor tracks again!

    Dino prints
    Mary C.

    Yes, dinosaurs really walked the earth and there's proof!! Dinosaur Ridge is one of the top dino track sites in the US. This is an outdoor tour one you can do free on your own or pay a tour guide drive you to the sites and lay out the facts and history. Dinosaurs aren't just for children. This is a place where anyone could learn something new! It's fun to bring all those imaginary dinosaurs to life by witnessing their prints in person!

    Ali C.

    Another cool roadside attraction close to Golden and not far from Denver. Good for all ages. Since it was 90° and the walk is mostly uphill. We opted for the $20 per adult shuttle ride that included a fossil guide. Would I normally pay this, no I feel it was worth about $10 a person. They did explain a lot which we would have missed had we gone on our own. Seeing the fossils and learning the history was very interesting. Interesting. The information center is very small but again pretty cool and they do have a couple of guides in there to answer questions as well. We did not go into the gift shop. We were there for about an hour and 15 minutes in total. The bus ride took about 45 minutes. It makes three stops where you get off of the bus and can take pictures and they help you better understand what types of dinosaurs were in the area, why they were in the area, what the area was like millions of years ago. They explain how the fossils and footprints were found, and what they are doing to preserve them.

    Savanna B.

    My husband and I took our four year-old who is gaga for dinosaurs to Dinosaur Ridge a few weeks ago and had a nice time. Some things to be aware of that will make your trip better: there is no shade go in the morning or on a cloudy day or if you are gonna go on a sunny day wear sunscreen and a hat. If you're gonna do the free hike, there is some parking on the road. That's a little closer to the trail and then you don't have to park in the parking lot which if your kids are as crazy about gift shops as mine you can avoid entirely however if you choose to do this, that's where the bathrooms are so be aware of that. You can pay to do a bus tour of the of the sites. It was a little expensive for us and we like walking so we skipped that there's also a low cost museum that you could check out but again that's by the gift shop so if you're trying to avoid that maybe pass. You can't drive the trail. It's only accessible by walking or by biking and if you are gonna bike, it is pretty steep so it may not be appropriate for kids.

    View from the top.
    Craig A.

    A great spot for some fresh air and hiking or biking. Car traffic is prohibited, so it's safe. There's a paved road that inclines up for about 3/4 mile, and then down the other side of the mountain towards Red Rocks. Its exit 2 off 470 and there is a dinosaur museum and up the hill you can see dinosaur tracks. I like it for both hiking and road biking - especially when I am training and want to do hill work. As you go up the road near the top, there is a trail to the right. Combining both road and trail is about 1.3 miles each way. Great views.

    Jillian S.

    Thank you Jurassic Jim and Cretaceous Ken for making this trip a blast. We learned so much about Earth's history, dinosaurs, and climate. I was hoping for a new experience and this trip exceeded my expectations; I did not expect to actually hold fossils and bones. Plus we visited on indigenous people's day so we participated in an additional activity on native plants and food. Plan to spend about 2 hours here. I recommend getting the guided bus tour ($18/person). Sit on the left side of the bus (when boarding) for the best views. Alternatively, you can walk the trail on a self guided tour, but it seemed long and hot. The trail does not have a lot of shade and is uphill. Plus our tour guide Cretaceous Ken provided enthusiasm and a wealth of information on the bus and at each stop. The tour is great for all types of learners since you can listen, view the accompanying visuals, and hold/feel the footprints, fossils, rocks, and bones. The last stop on the tour provides beautiful views of the surrounding area including red rocks. Visit the exhibit hall before or after your tour depending on time. It is included with the tour price. Our tour was about 45 min after we arrived so we visited the exhibit hall first. I'm glad we did since we received a private tour and lesson from Jurassic Jim. It is difficult to put into words how awesome he is. He was so welcoming, enthusiastic, and knowledgable. Jim answered all of our questions and entertained us with interesting facts and dinosaur/animal noises. After the tour, we walked through the small gift shop and purchased a few small souvenirs. We also enjoyed watching The prairie dogs in the nearby fenced area. Overall, we had an excellent visit here and recommend this experience to others!

    Brad W.

    Not that exciting a bus tour, but if you go, do the bus tour because walking is hell. The footprints are pretty average and they should highlight them in red or something. This is good for kids and the staff and volunteers are nice. The views of the valley are actually the best part inside the park.

    We did the guided tour with Alice and she was wonderful! Great overview of the area history and the various dinosaurs and other creatures who lived in the region. Includes tour of the exhibit hall as well for additional learning. Fun for all ages.

    The main footprint attraction displaying several types of footprints from around 100 million years ago
    Shalil J.

    I used to come here for field trips as a kid and recently revisited this local site with some out of town guests. I was incredibly surprised to see how much has changed at this site for the better. First and foremost, there is a visitor center but we decided to skip it as I personally remember the history of the site and how the prints came about and were uncovered so we didn't feel like the $4/person fee was necessary. There is also a shuttle that can take you up the road and drop you off at each site, but it's a nice walk, and again, we decided to forgo this service. The biggest surprise to us was the fact that more dinosaur footprints were uncovered and on display on the mountain than the last time we were here. One thing that was nice was the fact that the footprints were also darkened which some sort of spray that helped us see and highlighted where the footprints are as before, it could sometimes prove difficult to see where the prints were depending on the sun. That issue is no longer prevalent. One other pleasant surprise was the many new signs and plaques dotted around the overall site. It was even easier to understand what we were looking at and how they were preserved thanks to the new signage. This site is something that is fun for the whole family, and it's amazing to see real dinosaur footprints so well preserved. It's definitely something you can't miss!

    Map of Dinosaur Ridge
    Jim H.

    This is the third time I've visited Dinosaur Ridge but it was the first time to visit with my grandkids (under the age of five). The first two times I visited, I was younger and in better shape (and the weather wasn't quite as hot as it was today) and we walked to the top of the ridge. Today, being older (and wiser??) - with the grandkids and a hot afternoon, we only walked about half way to the top. Admission is free for anyone willing to walk up the hill. For "smarter" folks, there is a tour bus (fee) that takes you on a guided tour with a couple of stops on the way up. For walkers, there is also an audio tour that you can download to your phone for $6.00. There are some REALLY GOOD, well preserved dinosaur tracks and a number of signs that explain what you're looking at and the history of the region. The tracks are easy to find and to see. They definitely attacted the interest of my grandkids. As with any site of this nature, there is a visitor's center and the obligatoury gift shop. Outside the gift shop is a "sand box" where kids can dig and try to find dinosaur souvenirs.

    Dino footprints
    David P.

    This is a great often overlooked area in Denver. Highly recommend for some prehistoric education and astonishment. This is one of the few place where dinosaur footprints exist, especially on this scale. I also recommend getting the walking or bus tour ($) as I think you miss a good bit without it. Also, it helps fund the preservation. Only takes an hour or two.

    Cathy S.

    We went here with our grandsons. There is a bus tour, but we opted for some exercise after Christmas treats the day before. The road along the ridge is paved and only open to the vans, so very accessable. There were lots of interesting fossils. The walk is 2 miles round trip. There is a nice gift shop and a visitor center with a paid exhibit. Boys were tired, so we skipped that. Near Red rocks park as well, but that is for another day too. I would highly recommend.

    Sabina L.

    Loved loved loved it! Very informative! My 5 yo grandson did start to get a little bored but he was very inquisitive. We took the bus tour and our guide was very good. He took his time and explained everything where we understood. There were other little things for the children to enjoy as well. A must

    Footprints!

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    2 years ago

    It was a nice workout to walk the entire thing and interesting. A great place to walk and talk. Dino footsteps were pretty remarkable!

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    2 years ago

    This is one of the best places to see dinosaur footprints, a must see if you are a dino enthusiast.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Dinosaur Ridge

    Is there an inside area for older folks to sit and wait while the younger folks go hiking?

    There is a museum indoors but not much seating. There are shaded picnic tables outside where you can wait.

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - Dinosaur Ridge

    We loved the bus tour that stopped at 3 or 4 sites and the guide explains and points out other sites while driving.

    Mentioned in 30 reviews

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    Dinosaur Ridge - museums - Updated May 2026

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